Self-locking cover for grave-vaults.



R. G. GLEAVES. SELF Lncmwa COVER Fon GRAVE vAULIs.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1917.

.Patented May 28,1918.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 31,1917. y v l'g'.. Patented 'May 28,1918.

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ZEG-Gle@ veci :entre ROBERT G. GLEAVES, OF GREEN BRIER, TENNESSEE.

SELF-LOCKING COVER FOR GRAVE-VAULTS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1918.,

Application tiled July S1, 1917. Serial No. 183,706.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT G. GLnAvns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenbrier, in the county of Robertson and State ot Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Locking Covers for Grave-Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in burial vault covers and has for its primary object the provision otl a vault cover of metal or equivalent material so formed that it does not rest upon the box in closing the casket but is spaced above it to support'the earth filling the grave.

Masonry or stone vaults are too expensive for general use and the custom at present .is to dig a grave in which the vault or casket box receiving portion is equal in depth to the height ot' the box and in which the vault is narrower than the remainder of the grave so that shoulders are provided along either side of the vault. With a grave thus prepared after the casket, inclosed in its box, is lowered into the vault, a covering or boards is positioned over the box resting upon these boards. These boards7 however, soon rot away and permit caving or settling of the earth above the grave. One aim of this invention resides in the provision of a transversely arched metallic cover adapted to rest at its side edges upon the shoulders at the sides of the vault with its intermediate portion spaced above the casket containing box and forming a strong and durable support for the earth illing'the grave.

In this connection, a still further object of my invention resides in means :tor locking the cover to the box containing the casket which will not only prevent lateral displacement of the cover with respect to the box but which will prevent unauthorized removal of the box as in order to remove the box it will be necessary to remove ally the earth over the cover and to then litt both the cover and box which can hardly be done without the use of blocks and tackle or equivalent devices. c

A still further object of my invention resides in constructing a cover of t-he above described character which shall be not only efficient as regards protecting the box and its inclosed casket, but which shall be cheap in construction and therefore within the reach of all.

With these. and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then specifically pointed out in the claims which form a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is avertical sectional View taken through one end of a grave showing the casket containing box in elevation and the adjacent end of the cover in section;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken through the grave showing the cover iu section and the box in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the cover and one end of the casket inclosing box showing the lock between them;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the lock supporting portion ot the cover and through the lock engaging eye of the box, the lock being shown released.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to inthe following description and indicated in all the Views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In order to insure a clear and accurate understanding of my invention, I have illustrated it to show the manner in which it is employed. 1 and 2 ot the drawings, I have disclosed a grave 10 constructed in the usual manner and inclosing the usual casket containing box l1 having the usual cover 12. The vault portion 13 of the grave, as is customary, is equal in depth to the height of the box 11 and narrower than the main body of the grave so that longitudinal shoulders 14 are provided at the sides of the vault.

My invention resides in providing a cover tor the vault which will rest upon the shoulders 14 and not upon the box 11 and which may, if desired, have locking engagementy with the box 11. p

'This cover 15 is substantially rectangular in shape, is preferably formed ot relatively heavy sheet metal or equivalent material, and is arched transversely throughout its length. Preferably also it is transversely corrugated, as shown at 16, tor added Referring particularly to Figs.v

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strength. .ils clearly shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, this vaultv cover proportioned to extend throughout the length. ot the grave and to rest at its longitudinal edges upon the shoulders ll so that its arched portion ivill be spaced above the box ll.

Obviously, with the vault protected by a cover ot this character', which is substantially indestructible, all pressure oit earth in the grave above the vault is supported by the cover and the. box and inclosed caslret are protected.

Preferably, however, I provide locking devices l? for securing the end portions of the cover to the ends of the box ll so as to not only hold the cover against any possible lateral movement but to also prevent removal ot' the box and inclosed caslret from the ygrave by unauthorized persons, it being` obvious that it the cover is locked to the box all the earth above the cover must be removed betere access may beha d to the vault and the locks not being readily accessible the cover and box must be simultaneously lifted. Such an operation would require considerable time and proper apparatus for hoisting the box and cover troni the grave so that a cover loclted to the box practically protects the grave from robbery.

My improved locking device 1T includes a supporting body 1S curved longitudinally to correspond to the curvature ot the under tace oli the cover l5 and secured to the cover by rivets 19 or other suitable tasten ing devices. rlhe lovver tace ct this body 15 is recessed to receive the upper ends of the latches or locking dogs 20 which are secured to the body by pivots il. The outer side edgesV of these latches are formed1 With locking seats or notches 2l and their ends are beveled, as shown at A leall spring 23 secured between the latches serves to hold them aivay from each other, as clearly shown in Fig'. el. Cooperating with these latches are keepers 24; ivhich are secured one to each end of the caslret inclosing bcnr 11, preferably Inidvvay of its Width and' near its top. These keepers each include a substantially U-shaped body portion having,` lateral ears 25 at its tree enditor attachment to the box and having,- its side portions diverging upwardly, as shown at 26, to correspond to the inclined faces of the locking seats 2l.

es bestshoivn in Fig, 2, one ot' the locking devices l? is secured to the under face ot the cover at each end so that vvhen the cover is lowered in place the locking` dogs ory latches Will pass through the keepers, the sides of which. Will engage in the lockingseats to automatically secure the cover in place, the springs, of course, holding the locking dogs or latches in close engagement with the sides of the lreepers.

leemte Although l have described my invention in all its details l do not Wish to be limited to the specific construction shown but reserve the right to malte any changes which may fall 7ithin the scope of the claims.

For instance, the cover may be used With or Without the locks and it may be made to rest upon. or rest upon and be locked to the box even when it is not convenient to digl a vault to provide the shoulders which ordinarily support the cover.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as nevv is:

l. ln a grave vault cover, the combination vvith a burial box, of a transversely arched vault cover of greater `Width than the box, pair of latch dogs pivotally supported 'from the undertace of the vault cover adjacent each. end With their outer faces formed with locking notches, strings secured to the dogs and normally tending to hold the dogs of each pair avvay from each other, and keeper eyes secured to the ends ot the box and adapted to receive the locking; dogs whereby the vault cover will be locked to the box.

2. ln a grave vault cover, the combination with a'burial box, oit a vault cover, and means for automatically locking,` the vault cover in position above the box and to the box, said locking means being disposed Wholly below the cover and the cover being or' greater dimensions than the box.

ln a grave, the combination with a chamber proportioned to closely receive a .nirial box and an upper chamber vvider than the iirst chamber to provide shoulders at the sides of the rst chamber, of a burial box Within the irst chamber, a vault cover engaging at its longitudinal edges upon the shoulders ivith its intermediate portion spaced above the box and connectingu means betvveen the box and cover.

l. ln a grave, the combination With a chamber proportioned to closely receive a burial box and an upper chamber Wider than the lfirst chamber to provide shoulders` at the sides of the first chamber, ot a burial box Within the first chamber, a transversely upwardly arched, vault cover engaging at its longitudinal edges upon the shoulders vvith its intermediate portion spaced above the box, and locking means between the vaulty cover and the box whereby the vault cover can be removed' only with the box.

.5. ln a grave, the combination with a chamber proportioned to closely receive a burial box and an upper chamber Wider than the first chamber to provide shoulders at the sides of the iirst chamber, of a burial box ivithin the lirst chamber, a transversely upivardly archedy vault cover engaging at its longitudinal edges upon the shoulders with its intermediate portion spaced above the 6. The combination with a burial box, of a vault cover, and coaeting means upon the cover and box for locking the cover to the lo box at various positions of elevation above the box.

In testimony whereof I zrlix my signature.

ROBERT G. GLEAVES.

box, and looking means between the vault cover and the box whereb7 the vault cover can be removed only with the box, said locking means onsstng of keepers at the ends of the box and latches adapted to automatically engage the keepers upon lowering of the vault cover into place.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

